Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Power of Consistency

Over the last couple days I've been craving the TV show Arrested Development, so on my way home I decided to rent the first season. I planned on writing this blog post as well as writing up my comments from beta-reading for a fellow tweep. At any rate, episode after episode flew by and all I had written was a couple crappy sentences. I promptly deleted them after finishing the first season of the show.

I felt drained, not because I'd written with all my gutts and strength (btw, that's a really good feeling) but because I had wasted valuable time that could've been devoted to my love of writing. I went to bed feeling utterly useless in the realm of my craft.

At any rate, this has been a learning experience for me. I've learned the value of being consistent in writing. I mean consistency in the fact that for a certain amount of time every day I should devote some of my time to writing. This could mean writing a blog post, beta-reading, reading (research for an author), or, yes, writing or editing your very own story.

Here's a little real world example I came up with: When I'm driving, I get into my groove, driving at a consistent speed. Until. Some person (excluding expletives) pulls out in front of me when they obviously don't have enough time to accelerate to my speed. I have to press on my breaks and my groove is thrown off. The car that pulled out symbolically represents the things that distract me from my goal of writing.

I relate this to writing because getting out of the writing groove can and quite possibly will throw off the balance, pulling you out of your zone. Possibly make you feel pathetically worthless as a writer.

The best way to keep going strong in the writing world is to be consistent. Now, I'm the last person to say I'm perfect at this attribute. However, I'm trying and will try even harder now that I've seen the consequence of my lack of writing within a given night.

Now, I work full-time, so the last thing I really want to do is go home and relinquish my evening of relaxation to working again. But. At least writing is super fun--the love of my life. This isn't to say you can't relax or take some time to recoup, just to remember to keep writing a priority in your daily routine.

So, I'm determined to come out of this learning experience with extra vivacity to be more consistent with the things that are important to me when it comes to my career in writing.

Have you had a similar experience? What have you done to get back into the groove of writing?

12 comments:

  1. I don't really write anymore, but when I did, I always just spent some time in a quiet place thinking about the story, then when it would finally hit me from beginning to end, then that's when it was time to write.

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  2. Totally right, Evie. I'm going through that right now. My next project is eating its way through my mind. I'm excited to write it. Once I start writing it, I know it'll explode on the page with beautiful colors--all shades of green. Not telling why shades of green though.

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  3. Because green is pretty? haha! :) Go! Write like the wind! :D

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  4. Very pretty for many reasons, Evie! Going to keep everyone in suspense for my next writing project. Bwahahahaha

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  5. Just finished watching Arrested Development series 3 on Saturday, classic television. I understand about the groove, if I haven't had a productive day by noon, then it's not going to happen for me.

    Love your blog, by the way :)

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  6. Thanks, Christine. I have to stay away from Arrested Development from now on. It has proven to be way to big of a distraction. haha Thanks for following me! :D

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  7. Great post, Julia! You are so right about consistency. When I am consistent (setting aside time every day for writing) I feel great. :) But when I miss a day or two I feel guilty, like I wasted time. :( Sitting down and writing (anything) makes a huge difference, and my writing is stronger. Some of my favorite scenes have come from sitting down and making myself write, even when there are other distractions pulling at me. I have really come to enjoy my quiet time alone with my novels. :)

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  8. Kristin - those days when I totally don't want to write cuz I'm tired and I sit down and write are the most productive. It is amazing how quickly I can get into the groove of writing and I wake up. I enjoy my time with my novel, too!

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  9. I definitely know how you feel. I compare writing to going to the gym. If you don't go for a few days (or weeks or months in my case), it's hard to motivate yourself to get back into the routine. And then when you finally do return, that first day back is a killer on your body. I am guilty of not writing everyday. But when I do finally sit down, after a rough start firing up the creative juices, I find myself easily getting back into the groove. Maybe try waking up early and writing before work?

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  10. Phil - Welcome, dear new follower. I am glad to have you here. Love the gym analogy. It is so right on the dot correct. As for waking up early in the morning, I am so not a morning person. I have a difficult time waking up as it is. If I could sleep in till 10 every day I sure would. My writing time is after work. Great idea, though. Welcome!

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  12. “I’ve made a huge mistake...” That is what I think to myself every Tuesday night at 11:59 p.m. when I have to submit 3 polished articles for my journalism class. I always get them done, but generally am just finishing the first draft of at least one of them minutes before deadline--not giving me much time to edit and revise. I agree totally that consistency is key in just about everything. My real passion is music, and if I as unable to listen to, play, or create music everyday I would go crazy!

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